Welcome to the community! I'm also pretty new here but went through this exact same confusion a couple months ago. The IRS withholding estimator told my wife and me to put $2,800 on Line 3 even though we don't have any dependents, and I was completely lost. What helped me was learning that the W4 form got completely redesigned in 2020, and Line 3 isn't just for dependents anymore - it's basically become a general withholding adjustment line. When the estimator suggests an amount for Line 3, it's not telling you to claim fake dependents. It's saying "your current withholding is going to result in you overpaying by this amount, so let's reduce it." Think of it this way: if you're on track to get a $2,800 refund, that means you're essentially lending the government your money interest-free for months. The estimator is helping you keep that money in your paychecks instead. I was nervous at first, but after reading through experiences like the ones shared here, I went ahead with the adjustment and it worked perfectly. The key thing I learned is that your W4 withholding and your actual tax return are completely separate. The W4 just tells your employer how much to take out of each paycheck - it doesn't affect what you can actually claim when you file your taxes. Following the IRS's own calculator can't be wrong!

Welcome to the community! I went through this exact same confusion when I first encountered the new W4 system. Like many others here, I was completely baffled when the IRS withholding estimator told me to put money on Line 3 despite not having any dependents. What really helped me understand this was realizing that the IRS isn't actually suggesting you claim dependents you don't have. The confusing part is that Line 3 is labeled "Claim Dependents" but it actually serves multiple purposes in the redesigned W4 system. It's essentially become a general withholding adjustment mechanism. When the estimator analyzes your tax situation and determines you're likely to overwithhold (meaning you'd get a big refund), it uses Line 3 as the most straightforward way to reduce that withholding. Each dollar you put on Line 3 directly reduces the amount of tax withheld from your paychecks by that same amount. Think of it this way: if you're projected to overpay your taxes by $4,200 this year, that money would be much more useful in your monthly paychecks rather than sitting with the IRS as an interest-free loan until you file your return. The estimator is just helping you optimize your cash flow throughout the year. I was hesitant at first too, but I followed the calculator's recommendations and it worked perfectly. Just remember that if your income situation changes significantly during the year, you'll want to re-run the estimator to make sure your withholding is still on track.

This is such an important distinction that I wish more people understood! I made the CPA mistake myself when I first started having more complex tax situations. What really opened my eyes was when I needed help with some rental property depreciation issues. The CPA I went to charged me $450 and honestly seemed to be googling things right in front of me. When I later switched to an EA who specialized in real estate, not only was it $200 cheaper, but she immediately knew exactly how to handle accelerated depreciation and even suggested some strategies I hadn't considered. I think the "prestige" factor of CPAs makes people feel like they're getting better service, but for pure tax work, EAs often have more current, specialized knowledge. Plus, like you mentioned, they can represent you to the IRS just like CPAs can, so you're not giving up any protection. The only time I'd recommend a CPA over an EA is if you genuinely need services beyond tax prep - like if you're looking for business financial planning, need audited financial statements, or want comprehensive financial advisory services. But for tax preparation and planning? EA all the way.

As a newcomer to this community, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been dreading tax season because I started a side business this year (Etsy shop) and assumed I'd need to shell out big money for a CPA. Reading all these real experiences has completely changed my approach. The distinction between CPAs and EAs makes so much sense when you break it down like this. I love the surgeon/Band-Aid analogy someone used earlier - that really crystallized it for me. For my situation with just some Schedule C income from selling handmade items, an EA's specialized tax knowledge sounds perfect. I'm definitely going to use some of the resources mentioned here to find an EA who has experience with small online businesses. The cost savings alone ($200-300 vs $600+) would more than justify the switch from my current plan of just winging it with TurboTax and hoping for the best. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical, money-saving advice that makes this community so valuable!

I went through this exact same situation with MetaBank last year and completely understand the anxiety you're feeling! Here's what happened in my case: MetaBank received my refund on a Wednesday, and the funds appeared in my account Friday morning around 6:15 AM - so exactly 2 business days. A few things that helped me during the waiting period: 1. **Set up instant deposit alerts** through your bank's mobile app - this was a game changer for my peace of mind instead of constantly checking my balance 2. **Know your bank's ACH schedule** - most banks process overnight between 2-6 AM, so check first thing in the morning rather than throughout the day 3. **Document everything** - keep notes of when you spoke to MetaBank and what they told you, just in case you need to follow up Since MetaBank confirmed they received your funds on March 24th and you're a first-time US filer, I'd expect to see the deposit by Thursday morning at the latest. The fact that they've already confirmed receipt and processing means you're through the hardest part - the IRS review process. One last tip: if you don't see anything by Friday morning, call MetaBank back with your reference number from the first call. Sometimes they can provide more specific timing once they've initiated the ACH transfer. You're almost there! The waiting is definitely the worst part.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my recent experience with MetaBank to help with your timeline expectations! They received my refund on March 19th (a Tuesday) and it showed up in my account Thursday morning at 4:23 AM - so right in that 2-3 business day window everyone's mentioned. What really helped me manage the anxiety was calling my bank (Wells Fargo) directly to ask about their ACH posting schedule. They told me incoming transfers typically show up between 3-5 AM, which explained why I never saw anything during normal banking hours when I was obsessively checking. Since you mentioned this is your first time filing in the US system, I wanted to reassure you that having MetaBank confirm receipt is actually a really good sign - it means there were no red flags or additional verification requirements that would cause delays. The fact that your return processed smoothly through the IRS and made it to MetaBank without issues suggests everything is working as it should. Based on your March 24th timeline and what everyone else has shared, Wednesday or Thursday morning seems very realistic. I'd recommend setting up those mobile alerts that others mentioned and then trying to distract yourself rather than constantly checking - the waiting really is the hardest part! You're so close to having this resolved.

Back in 2022, I had almost the exact same timeline as you, and I remember how the status changed from "STILL being processed" to "IS being processed" right before I got my DDD. Instead of constantly checking WMR, I found it more helpful to set up alerts with my bank for any incoming deposits. That way I wasn't driving myself crazy checking multiple times a day. Another thing that helped was checking my transcript around 3-4am EST on Fridays when the weekly updates typically happen. Most people who verified their identity like you did end up getting their refunds, it just takes a bit longer than the advertised 21 days.

The wording change from "STILL being processed" to "IS being processed" is definitely meaningful! I went through this exact same thing last month. "Still being processed" usually indicates your return is in some kind of review queue or on hold, while "is being processed" means it's moved into active processing. Since you completed identity verification on 2/15 and it's now been over a week, you're probably in the final stages. The transcripts often don't update until the very last minute - I've seen people get their DDD on transcripts that were showing N/A just the day before. One thing to keep in mind is that the 21-day window resets after identity verification, so you're really only about 10 days into your processing time from verification completion. I know it's frustrating when you see others getting their refunds faster, but everyone's situation is slightly different depending on what triggered the verification and what other reviews might be happening. Try checking your transcript early Friday morning (around 3-6am EST) - that's typically when the weekly batch updates happen. Your refund is likely coming very soon!

One thing that might help you going forward is to start keeping a gambling log from day one if you continue betting. I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, platform, bet type, amount wagered, amount won/lost, and running total. It takes maybe 30 seconds per bet to log, but it makes tax time so much easier. For your current situation with 1,700+ bets, definitely try to download your complete betting history from both platforms as others suggested. Most online sportsbooks are required to maintain detailed records and make them available to users. Hard Rock and Fliff should both have options in your account settings to export transaction histories. Also worth noting - if you plan to continue sports betting regularly, consider whether it might make sense to itemize deductions in future years. If you have other itemizable expenses (mortgage interest, charitable donations, etc.) that combined with gambling losses might exceed the standard deduction, you could potentially offset more of your winnings.

Just wanted to add something important that I learned the hard way - if you're using multiple platforms like the OP, make sure you're tracking your net position across ALL platforms, not just individual ones. I made the mistake of only focusing on my winning platform while ignoring losses on another, which gave me a completely wrong picture of my tax liability. Also, for anyone using apps like Hard Rock or Fliff, check if they offer any tax reporting tools or year-end summaries. Some platforms have started providing better tax documentation features to help users comply with reporting requirements. Even if they don't issue a 1099, many will provide detailed transaction exports that make the reporting process much more manageable. One last tip - if you're planning to continue betting in 2025, consider setting up a separate bank account just for gambling transactions. It makes tracking deposits, withdrawals, and your overall gambling P&L much cleaner for tax purposes.